PGFD Asst. Chief recognized for 2016 heroics

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PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MD -- A Prince George's County Fire/EMS Department (PGFD) Assistant Chief has been receiving numerous awards and accolades for his role in a 2016 rescue when he and others pulled a woman from a burning car.

Asst. Chief Darren Ware was driving home from the funeral of PGFD Firefighter/Paramedic John "Skillet" Ulmschneider on Crain Highway near Brandywine Road when he noticed a car on fire on the side of the road. A woman was still inside the car, having suffered a medical emergency.

Ware, along with retired Prince George’s County Deputy Fire Chief Tyrone Wells, and others were able to rescue the woman before the car was engulfed in flames.

In April, Ware was awarded the PGFD's Gold Medal of Valor.

Ware has also been named the American Legion’s “2017 National Firefighter of the Year”, the Knights of Columbus Sacred Heart Council No. 2577's "Career Fire Fighter of the Year", the Largo-Kettering Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States' "Outstanding Firefighter of the Year", and the "National Firefighters Citation".

"I’m obviously honored to receive the award, but I’m also humbled. And I also don’t want to forget that, in the fire service, we work as a team. We’re all here to do the same job. And it’s not so much about one person getting an award as it is the fact that we’re to do the job and do the best we can," said Ware.